When she’s not memorizing lines for the school play, Phoebe’s memorizing all the best features of the swoonworthy boys in the cast.
Title: Phoebe’s Diary
Author: Phoebe Wahl
ISBN: 978-0316363563
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 2023
Genre(s): Realistic fiction, autofiction
Available format(s): Print, audio. I reviewed the print version.
Awards, honors, notable mentions:
Starred review from Kirkus
Reading level/interest level: Age 14 and up, according to the publisher; Grade 9 and up, according to Amazon.
Plot summary: Having been homeschooled for years, fifteen-year-old Phoebe is thrust into high school drama (literally) when she joins the cast of the school’s summer play.
The new experience brings with it new crushes, new feelings about old friends, and maybe even new foes. She finds it all a bit dizzying, so she pours her emotions into the pages of her diary at any spare moment.
As summer turns to fall, Phoebe’s attention turns to one boy in particular and her first relationship develops with endearing awkwardness. She’s forever trying to impress her boyfriend while being true to herself. She’s desperate for him to proclaim his love to her, and she’s curious about sex but worried that he isn’t.
And if that wasn’t enough to think about, she’s also trying to break free of her parents’ overprotectiveness, find a confidante as good as her sister, who has moved away to college, and just make it through this weird, wonderful year.
About the author: Though Phoebe Wahl has previously written and illustrated award-winning children’s picture books, Phoebe’s Diary is her YA debut, heavily inspired by her own teenage years and journals. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in illustration (RISDmade, 2023). However, like her character in the novel, Wahl spent much of her life outside of traditional schools and “she credits her free-range childhood in the Northwest for much of her inspiration and values” (Wahl, n.d.). She was born, raised, and currently lives in Bellingham, WA.
Critical evaluation: As a longtime follower and fan of Wahl’s art on Instagram, I was incredibly excited to score an Advanced Reading Copy of Phoebe’s Diary from a publisher booth at ALA Annual. After reading it, I found that this book is mostly a departure from the cozy whimsy of Wahl’s picture books for children. Though there are some softer moments, the writing and even the illustrations are grittier, angrier, raunchier, and just more dramatic than I’m used to seeing from Wahl. Initially, I missed the gentleness, but I applaud Wahl for being true to her younger self and creating an emotional, earnest character for teens dealing with similar insecurities and concerns. The story also explores Phoebe’s identity as an artist and her affinity for the visual arts and for theatre; it is likely to appeal to teens with similar hobbies.
Phoebe’s character is similar to Louise Rennison’s Georgia Nicholson (of Angus fame), though perhaps more moody and not as outrageously funny. She oscillates between hating and loving her friends and family and she is simultaneously enamored and infuriated by her various crushes. These heightened, conflicting emotions are true to life; indeed, her sensitivity to her crushes’ words (even mundane comments…) about her and her overanalyzing of their actions (and what they could really mean) transported me to my own, very overthinky teenage years. I’m now an adult, though, so the constant highs and lows in the book sometimes made for an exhausting ride. In addition, it is difficult to keep track of all the people in Phoebe’s life; I often had to flip to the first page in which a character was introduced to remember who they were and whether Phoebe liked them.
Despite being a bit of a rollercoaster, the ”heart” of this coming-of-age book was focused on navigating relationships, a very real challenge for most teens, so I’m glad I read it. Like my teenage years, though, I probably wouldn’t do it again!
Related programming ideas: The Library could tie this book in with a program about creating and using journals for self-expression.
Potential challenges: The protagonist frequently thinks about sex and describes her sexual activity in her diary entries. Menstruation is also described. Phoebe often swears, and she and other characters also experiment with alcohol and cannabis on multiple occasions. The book could be challenged for its abundant sexual references, profanity, and depiction of underage drinking and drug use.
Brief book trailer: When she’s not memorizing lines for the school play, Phoebe’s memorizing all the best features of the swoonworthy boys in the cast.Owen’s sparkly eyes, David’s golden curls, Lukas’ kissable lips, and Sam’s gorgeous jaw. She’s crushing hard, but she’s also confused as hell about boys, love, sex, and everything in between. Who does she truly love? Who will love her back? And will she ever love herself, too?
Reason for inclusion: Teens deserve books that contemplate sex, love, and relationships honestly, with both curiosity and care, and this is just that.
Check this out! A Spotify playlist of Phoebe’s favorite songs and artists in her teen years.
References:
Kirkus Reviews. (2023, June 21). Phoebe’s Diary. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/phoebe-wahl/phoebes-diary/
[Phoebe’s Diary book cover]. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/phoebe-wahl/phoebes-diary/9780316363563/?lens=little-brown-books-for-young-readers
RISDmade. (2023). Phoebe Wahl [2013, illustration]. https://www.risdmade.com/portfolio/phoebe-wahl/
Wahl, P. (n.d.). About Phoebe Wahl. https://www.phoebewahl.com/about
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